Spec Editing Sample of Patient Education Material
Please refer to the edited piece first, followed by the unedited piece.
By: Laura Arul, MD
AFTER EDITING:
You’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease. What now?
Celiac disease (CD) occurs when your body’s immune system reacts to a protein called gluten found in certain grains. This leads to the various symptoms you have been experiencing. It affects about 1% of the population.
The only treatment for CD is maintaining a strict gluten-free diet (GFD).
What should I avoid eating?
You must avoid all gluten-containing foods. Gluten exists in wheat, barley, and rye. The key is to identify foods that contain these ingredients.
The list below includes foods that contain wheat, rye, and barley. These foods should be AVOIDED:
- Bread
- Baked goods and pastries
- Pasta
- Bulgar
- Couscous
- Semolina
- Cereals
- Beer
- Malt (such as malt vinegar, malt syrup, and malt extract)
- Wheat bran and wheat germ
- Packaged soups, salads, and sauces
- Food coloring
- Non-certified gluten-free products at high risk for gluten cross-contamination (see table)
Getting comfortable reading food labels is essential for eliminating gluten from your diet. It can help you identify hidden sources of gluten in processed meats, supplements, sauces, and marinades.
Look for the following when reading food packaging and labels:
- Look for a gluten-free certified logo on the package.
- Read the ingredient list. If the ingredient list includes barley, rye, wheat, or oats, it is NOT SAFE.
- Read the contains list. If it includes barley, rye, wheat, or oats, it is NOT SAFE.
- Read the may-contain list. If it includes barley, rye, wheat, or oats, it is NOT SAFE.
What can I eat?
The good news is that there are a lot of naturally gluten-free foods out there, including:
- Vegetables including potatoes
- Fruit
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Seafood
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Nuts
Many gluten-free grains, seeds, legumes, and starches occur naturally. However, these are at high risk of gluten cross-contamination during processing. The items below should only be eaten if they are certified as gluten-free.
| Grains and starches | Seeds | Legumes | Other |
| Amaranth Arrowroot Buckwheat Cassava Corn Oats Millet Quinoa Rice Sorghum Tapioca Teff Yucca | Chia Flax Hemp | Beans Lentils Peas Soy | Nut flours |
The GFD can be low in fiber, and gluten-free alternative products can have higher fat and glycemic indices and lower protein than gluten-containing foods. Therefore, eating enough daily fiber and lots of whole, unprocessed foods is crucial to avoiding constipation and getting enough nutrients.
Who can help me?
Navigating a GFD can be challenging, especially in the beginning. Remember that you are not alone; there are many resources to help you. You can find more reliable information, tips, and guidance from the following places:
- Your local dietician with experience in the GFD
- Celiac Canada
- Celiac Disease Foundation
- National Celiac Association
- Dietary guidelines for Americans
Once you practice these new skills, following a GFD will become second nature. Consistency with the GFD is vital to feeling healthier!
BEFORE EDITING:
You’ve been diagnosed with Celiac disease. Now what?
Celiac disease occurs when you’re body’s immune system reacts to a protein called gluten that is found in certain grains. As a result of this, you have been experiencing an appreciable number of symptoms. CD effects about 1% of the population.
The only treatment for CD is maintaining a strict gluten-free diet.
What should I avoid eating?
You must avoid all foods that contain gluten. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. The key is to identify foods that contain these ingredients.
The list below includes foods that contain wheat, rye and barley. These foods should be AVOIDED:
- Bread
- Baked goods and pastries
- Pasta
- Bulgar
- Couscous
- Semolina
- Cereals
- Beer
- Malt (such as malt vinegar, malt syrup and malt extract)
- Wheat bran and germ
- Packaged soups
- Packaged salad dressings and sauces
- Food coloring
- Non-certified gluten-free products at high risk for gluten cross-contamination, including quinoa, oats, amaranth, buckwheat, sorghum, beans, peas, lentils, flax seeds, and hemp seeds
In order to eliminate gluten from your diet, you will need to get comfortable reading food labels. It can help you identify the hidden sources of gluten found in processed meats, supplements, sauces and marinades.
Look for the following things when reading food packaging:
- Look for a gluten-free certified logo on the package.
- Read the ingredient list. If the ingredient list includes barley, rye, wheat, or oats, it is NOT SAFE.
- Read the “contains list”. If it includes barley, rye, wheat, or oats, it is NOT SAFE.
- Read the “may contain list”. If it includes barley, rye, wheat, or oats, it is NOT SAFE.
What can I eat?
The good news is that there are a lot of naturally-occurring gluten-free foods out there. This includes:
- Vegetables including potatoes
- Fruit
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Seafood
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Nuts
Many grains, seeds, legumes and starches are inherently gluten-free. However, these are at high risk of gluten cross contamination during processing. The items below should only be eaten if they are certified as gluten-free.
| Grains and Starches | Seeds | Legumes | Other |
| Amaranth Arrowroot Buckwheat Cassava Corn Oats Millet Quinoa Rice Sorghum Tapioca Teff Yucca | Chia Flax Hemp | Beans Lentils Peas Soy | Nut flours |
The GFD can be low in fiber; and gluten-free alternative products can have higher fat and glycemic indices and lower protein then gluten-containing foods. Therefore, eating enough daily fiber and lots of whole, unprocessed foods is crucial to avoid constipation and ensuring you get an adequate amount of nutrients.
Who can help me?
To be sure, navigating a GFD can be challenging, especially in the beginning. Remember that you are not alone, there are many resources to help you. In terms of finding more reliable information, tips and guidance, you can find this at the following places:
- Your local Dietician with experience in the GFD
- Celiac Canada
- Celiac Disease Foundation
- National Celiac Association
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Once you practice these new skills, following a GFD will become second nature. Consistency with the GFD is vital to feeling better and healthier!